Amalgamator.



No. 701,2!2. Patented May 27, I902. J. S. M ARHUETTE & P. J. NELSON.

AMALGAMATOR.

A \Appucavion filed Aug. 27, 1901.)

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N0. 70l,2|2. Patented May 27, I902. J. S. MARHUETTEGI. P. J. NELSON.

AMALGAMATOR.

Application filed Aug. 27, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

6 UNTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. MARQUETTE AND PETER J. NELSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AMALGAMATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,212, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed August 27, 1901. Serial No. 73,467. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom zit nuoy concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN S. MAR UETTE and PETER J. NELSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Am algamators, of which the following is a specification.

Ourinvention relates to amalgamators; and its primary object is to provide an effective apparatus for separating fine gold by the mercury process which may be operated continuously without requiring a cessation of operation when the amalgam is withdrawn.

A further object of the invention is to provide an amalgamator of increased capacity, thus insuringa thorough agitation of the ore and the recovery of the maximum quantity of gold.

The invention comprises means for thoroughly agitating the, crushed ore and a series of traps containing mercury for accumulating the particles of gold.

A characteristic feature of the invention is a plurality of overflow-traps connected to a common delivery-trap and means for supplying mercury. to said traps and withdrawing amalgam therefrom.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and its points of novelty will be defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a View in perspective of an amalgamator embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section, on an enlarged scale, through one of the overflow-traps.

The reference-numeral 1 designates a tank or casing having its bottom 2 depressed and converged toward a central discharge-opening 3 to form a mercury-chamber 4. A pipe 5 communicates with the opening 3, said pipe having a valve 6 near its point of communication with the tank and 'a valve 7 at a distance from the valve 6 for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The tank 1 is supported in any suitable manner, as by legs 8, and its end walls 9 are formed with bearings for a shaft 10, one end of which extends beyond the adjacent end of the tank and has mounted thereon a gearwheel 11. An agitator 10, comprising curved perforated blades, is mounted on the shaft 10 within the tank. The gear-wheel 11 meshes with a driving-pinion 12, mounted on a shaft 13, supported in front of the tank, and also with gear-pinions 14 and 15, mounted upon the ends of the two shafts 16 and 17, supported in suitable bearings and located, respectively, in rear of and in front of the tank 1. Communicating with the front side of the tank, near the top edge thereof, is a series of overflow-traps 18, arranged side by side and provided with bearings 19, through which the shaft 17 extends. Within each of the traps 18, upon said shaft 17, is mounted a spiral agitator 20.

The shaft 17 is supported near one end in a bracket-bearing 21,projecting from the tank, and the opposite end of the shaft carries a bevel gear-pinion 22. Another series of overflow-traps 23 communicates with the rear side of the tank by means of the openings 24, and said traps 23 are similar in construction to the traps 18.

The shaft 16 extends through the traps 23 and carries spiral agitators similar to those on the shaft 17. A bracket-bearing 25 supports the shaft 16.

The outer ends of the traps 18 are connected by a pipe 26, and a similar pipe 27 connects the traps 23. These pipes 26 and 27 are extended at one end beyond the tank and are connected by a pipe 28, communicating with a discharge-trap 29, having a downward bend 30, to deliver the mass of ore to an auxiliary tank 31, similar in construction but much smaller than the main tank 1. The shaft 13 extends through this auxiliary tank, and mounted therein within the tank is an agitator 32, comprising curved blades formed with perforations 33.

A belt-pulley 34 and an idler 35 are mounted upon the shaft 13, and said shaftis driven from any suitable source of power by abelt 36.

The tank 31 is provided with a dischargepipe 37, having two independent valves 38 and 39.

40 designates an inclined trough supported above the rear side of the tank 1, and above said trough is a chute 41, through which the ore is fed to the amalgamator, a perforated water-pipe 42 being interposed between the trough and chute to supply Water from a. pipe 43.

Each of the traps employed in the machine is provided with a depending discharge-cock 45, by means of which amalgam may be drawn therefrom, and also with an inlet-cock 44, through which the mercury may be introduced into the trap.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The crushed ore is fed over the chute to the trough 4.0,water being supplied through the perforated pipe 42. The pulp formed by the admixture of the ore and water passes into the tank 1, where it is thoroughlyagitated by the revolution of the plates and a portion of the gold settles into the amalgam-chamber 4, containing mercury. The overflow from the tank 1 escapes into the traps 18 and 23, and the fine gold contained in such overflow settles within the traps, admixing with the mercury therein, the agitators 20 within the traps serving to further agitate the pulp. The pulp passes from the traps 18 and 23 to the discharge or final trap 29, which is also provided with an agitator similar to the agitator 20, mounted upon a shaft driven by a gear pinion 46, which meshes with the pinion 22. The pulp is discharged through the pipe into the tank 31, where it is subjected to a still further agitation by means of the blades 32.

By employing the two valves 6 and 7 in the discharge-pipe 5 amalgam may be withdrawn from the main tank without stopping the machine by closing the valve 6 and opening the valve 7. The same is true of the valves 38 and 39 in the discharge-pipe 37.

It will be obvious that we provide the maximum treatment of the pulp by agitation, and therefore insure the extraction of the gold particles to the highest possible degree.

we claim 1. In an amalgamator the combination with a tank or receptacle, provided with an amal gam-receptacle at its bottom having a central discharge -opening, of a revoluble agitator within the tank, a plurality of overflow-traps communicating with the upper portion of the tank, a shaft extending through a plurality of said traps and agitators on said shaft within the traps.

2. In an amalgamator, the combination with a tank having an amalgam-receptacle at its bottom, of a discharge-pipe provided with two i'ndependent valves, a revoluble agitator within the tank, a plurality of overflow-traps communicating with the tank, a shaft extending through the traps, agitators upon said shaft, and a supplemental box or tank containing an agitator and adapted to receive the discharge from said traps.

3. In an amalgamator, the combination with a tank having an amalgam-receptacle at its bottom, of a discharge-pipe for said receptacle having two independent valves, a series of overfiowtraps communicating with the rear side of the tank and a second series of traps communicating with the front side of the tank, all of said traps being connected to a common discharge-trap which delivers to an auxiliary tank, and revoluble agitators within said traps.

4. In an amalgamator, the combination with a tank havinga converging bottom provided with a central discharge-opening, a pipe communicating with said opening and provided with two independent valves, a revoluble main shaft extending through said tank, perforated agitator-blades projecting from the shaft, a series of overflow-traps communicating with the rear side of the tank, another series of overflow-traps communicating with the front side of the tank, a shaft extending through each series of the traps and carrying agitators Within the traps, means for revolving these shafts from the main shaft, pipes connecting all of said traps with a discharge-trap, inlet and outlet cooks for said traps, and an auxiliary tank provided with an agitator and a discharge-pipe having two independent valves.

Witnesses as to John S. Marquette:

ROBERT C. RHODES, WM. A. WooD.

Witnesses as to Peter J. Nelson:

H. SCHMIDT, B. P. PAUCH. 

